Published: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 3:18 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 3:18 p.m.

A bridge replacement project will close a thoroughfare for several months just northwest of Lexington, a N.C. Department of Transportation official said.

DOT crews plan to replace a bridge on U.S. Highway 64 West that runs over Interstate 85 Business Loop near Lexington Barbecue. The bridge will be closed from March until early November, said Dale Swicegood, a DOT engineer for Davidson County.

DOT awarded a bid for the project to D.H. Griffin Construction Company LLC of Raleigh last fall for about $5.9 million.

The new bridge will sit slightly northward of the existing structure and will subsequently straighten the existing crossing, Swicegood said.

The contractor started removing trees and clearing land two weeks ago to start building a field for the new bridge, Swicegood said.

Crews will make some improvements to the ramp leading to I-85 Business Loop South next week. Those improvements will force crews to shut down the ramp from about 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for several days.

While the southbound on-ramp is closed, drivers intending to travel southbound on I-85 Business Loop will be detoured across the bridge to the West Center Street Extension interchange. They will turn left onto West Center Street Extension, then left again onto Service Road that runs by Lexington Barbecue, where they will be able to access the highway, said Jeremy Guy, assistant DOT engineer for Davidson County.

The bridge will be closed within several days of the finished improvements to the southbound on-ramp, Guy said. While the bridge is closed, a signed detour will take drivers heading east on U.S. 64 onto I-85 Business Loop South, which will eventually take them to an exit for Salisbury Road. Drivers can use the exit to loop around and head northbound, where they will eventually find an exit for U.S. 64 East, Guy said.

Drivers heading west on U.S. 64 can turn right onto West Center Street Extension before reaching the bridge, then left onto Service Road. Drivers can access I-85 Business Loop South by Service Road, then exit off onto Mocksville Road, which turns into U.S. 64.

Crews will have to close both directions of I-85 Business Loop at night for about two days, when the new bridge is actually being set, Swicegood said.

"The whole thing is supposed to be complete by Nov. 8," Swicegood said. "It will probably be open a little prior to that, if everything stays on schedule."

The replacement project is part of the DOT's Bridge Program, which uses both federal and state funds. This particular replacement project is federally funded, according to DOT records.

Nash Dunn can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 227, or at nash.dunn@the-dispatch.com.

<p>A bridge replacement project will close a thoroughfare for several months just northwest of Lexington, a N.C. Department of Transportation official said.</p><p>DOT crews plan to replace a bridge on U.S. Highway 64 West that runs over Interstate 85 Business Loop near Lexington Barbecue. The bridge will be closed from March until early November, said Dale Swicegood, a DOT engineer for Davidson County.</p><p>DOT awarded a bid for the project to D.H. Griffin Construction Company LLC of Raleigh last fall for about $5.9 million.</p><p>The new bridge will sit slightly northward of the existing structure and will subsequently straighten the existing crossing, Swicegood said.</p><p>The contractor started removing trees and clearing land two weeks ago to start building a field for the new bridge, Swicegood said.</p><p>Crews will make some improvements to the ramp leading to I-85 Business Loop South next week. Those improvements will force crews to shut down the ramp from about 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for several days. </p><p>While the southbound on-ramp is closed, drivers intending to travel southbound on I-85 Business Loop will be detoured across the bridge to the West Center Street Extension interchange. They will turn left onto West Center Street Extension, then left again onto Service Road that runs by Lexington Barbecue, where they will be able to access the highway, said Jeremy Guy, assistant DOT engineer for Davidson County.</p><p>The bridge will be closed within several days of the finished improvements to the southbound on-ramp, Guy said. While the bridge is closed, a signed detour will take drivers heading east on U.S. 64 onto I-85 Business Loop South, which will eventually take them to an exit for Salisbury Road. Drivers can use the exit to loop around and head northbound, where they will eventually find an exit for U.S. 64 East, Guy said.</p><p>Drivers heading west on U.S. 64 can turn right onto West Center Street Extension before reaching the bridge, then left onto Service Road. Drivers can access I-85 Business Loop South by Service Road, then exit off onto Mocksville Road, which turns into U.S. 64.</p><p>Crews will have to close both directions of I-85 Business Loop at night for about two days, when the new bridge is actually being set, Swicegood said.</p><p>"The whole thing is supposed to be complete by Nov. 8," Swicegood said. "It will probably be open a little prior to that, if everything stays on schedule."</p><p>The replacement project is part of the DOT's Bridge Program, which uses both federal and state funds. This particular replacement project is federally funded, according to DOT records.</p><p>Nash Dunn can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 227, or at nash.dunn@the-dispatch.com.</p>